Award of Excellence Gold PASS Seal Program

 

What is the Award of Excellence Gold PASS Seal Program?

The Award of Excellence is a program that recognizes food facilities handling open food that have demonstrated consistent, good food safety practices. The recognition will be identified by having a Gold PASS Seal instead of the traditional Orange PASS Seal.   

 

How Does a Food Facility Obtain a Gold PASS Seal?

If a food facility has been determined to be in substantial compliance with the California Retail Food Code following two unannounced routine inspections conducted by a Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS), they may be eligible. At the conclusion of the second routine inspection, if the food facility has met the criteria, the inspector will sign and date the Gold PASS Seal and issue it to the food facility. The seal will remain valid as long as the food facility continues to meet the criteria at each subsequent inspection. 

 

Inspection Report Criteria

• Facility handles open food (restaurants and markets)
• No major Critical Risk Factor violations
• No violation for lack of Food Manager Certification or Food Handler Cards 
• No more than five (5) total minor and good retail practice violations on any inspection
• Had two routine inspections

 

What Does a Gold PASS Seal Look Like?

 

Removal of Gold PASS Seal

The Gold PASS Seal is withdrawn when the food facility no longer meets the above inspection report criteria. The seal will be replaced with the traditional Orange Seal. 

 

Questions

For any questions regarding the Award of Excellence, please contact your Environmental Health Specialist at 714-433-6000.